Police Oversight Panel

The Police Oversight Panel was created by the Council to increase community involvement in police oversight and to ensure that historically excluded communities have a voice in police oversight. The ordinance establishes the Police Oversight Panel an independent entity supported by the Office of the Independent Police Monitor. Police Oversight Panel By-laws were adopted in March 2022: Police Oversight Panel By-laws PDF.

The monitor assists the panel by providing summaries of complaints and complaint investigations, data on monthly statistics, analysis of local policing trends and access to national best practices. The monitor also organizes and facilitates the training of panel members.

The role of the panel is to review completed internal complaint investigations, make recommendations on disposition and discipline for those complaints, and to make policy and training recommendations to the department. The panel may also identify analyses that they would like the monitor to conduct. The panel members also provide an oversight function with regard to the monitor by providing regular feedback to the monitor and to the city regarding the work of the monitor’s office.

• Hadasa Villalobos
• Daniel Leonard

Bwembya Chikolwa

Dr. Chikolwa is Senior Manager of Property Tax at Lumen Technologies, Inc. He earned a Ph.D. in Real Estate Investment and Finance in 2008 and is currently pursuing a MS in Organizational Leadership at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Before moving to Boulder, Dr. Chikolwa practiced as a registered Property Valuer in both private and public sectors for over 12 years before joining academia. In 2007, he joined Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, teaching and researching property investment and finance, and project and infrastructure finance.

Sarah Holt

Sarah has significant experience in the corporate world participating in and leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion oversight councils – including developing data-based policies, training, and codes of conduct. As a Latinx member of the LGBTQ community, with a black child; and coming from a family of military and police service, she has a unique intersectional view of policing. Sarah moved to Boulder County four years ago and is active in various community groups.

Victor King

Victor King is a Recovery Coach Manager at Mental Health Partners. A longtime Boulder resident who brings a passion and experiential knowledge of recovery. He is a current member of the 2020-2021 Leadership Fellows of Boulder County.

Daniel Leonard

Daniel Leonard received his BFA, BA, and MBA from CU Boulder. He is the Assistant Director of Marketing at CU Boulder for CU Presents. Daniel also works with a local theatre company BETC. He believes the arts are essential to a more empathetic and connected world.

Hadasa Villalobos

Hadasa is a Quality Supervisor for a local food manufacturer where she specializes in policy and compliance. Born to Mexican immigrants in the Central Valley of California, she is a native Spanish speaker familiar with both farming and inner-city communities.

Maria-Soledad Diaz

Born in Chile, Soledad studied Social Sciences and Law at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Professional Photography at Universidad del Pacifico. She has dedicated her professional life to serving underprivileged communities and has focused her work in equity, social justice and anti-violence work. Currently, Soledad is the Shelter Program Director for SPAN, Chair of the Community Advisory Board for Downtown Boulder Partnership, and is committed through her work in all its different ways and forms, to strengthen our sense of community and become a part of each other’s solutions.

Sam Zhang

Sam Zhang is a PhD candidate in Applied Mathematics at the University of Colorado at Boulder. As the elected treasurer of his union, CWA Local 7799, a fellow with the Human Rights Data Analysis Group, and a former Data Science for Social Good fellow with the University of Chicago, he brings a combination of social justice commitments and research skills to the panel.

Madelyn S. Woodley

Madelyn Strong Woodley is a Boulder County resident originally from Rosemark Tennessee. She is founder of ECAACE aka the Executive Committee for African American Cultural Events-Boulder County. The organization creates & promotes events geared to educate the community about the African American culture, at its finest. Its cornerstone rests within five pillars; Education, Tribute, Celebration, Solidarity and Service. As chairperson of the NAACP Freedom Fund Committee, she spearheaded the 2023 Celebration with a performance by the Nashville African American Wind Symphony, to a full house at CU’s Macky Auditorium. A free event/gift for the Boulder County Community. She is a Retired FedEx Corporate Executive and Division Head, worldwide within the Legal and Regulatory Affairs division. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the City of Longmont and Boulder County Communities. Her law enforcement related background has proven beneficial in her most recent role as a member of the Boulder Police Oversight Task Implementation Team and most recently Panel. As a lifetime member and executive committee member of the NAACP in Boulder County, the core of Madelyn's service endeavors is focused on making valuable contributions that will positively impact her community. She is a board member as well as a Governance committee member of the Longmont Community Foundation. As a charter member of the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee, Madelyn’s dedicated service can be realized through her volunteerism and community work of the aforementioned organizations and many others. As a third term board member of the Longmont Housing & Human Services Advisory Board, her involvement promotes the well-being of her Community. Her mantra is “Failure is not an option.”

Mylene Vialard

Mylene identifies as a White Woman who is bi-lingual in French and English. Mylene has been a Boulder resident for the last 15 years where she has also raised her daughter in the BVSD school system. Over the past two years, Mylene has been an active member of the Boulder chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice (BSURJ) where she has been delving into the intricacies of life, culture and policies in Boulder through the lens of engaged antiracism, conversations about racial justice and building relationships with accountability partners such as NAACP, Right Relationship Boulder, and other organizations in Boulder County and Denver. As a single mother, a freelance translator, and a concerned member of the community, Mylene feels it is her duty to be more involved in ensuring that all voices in Boulder are heard and included. She has worked for years as a cultural and language ambassador for francophone countries, but also for other countries around the world. Most recently, she has shifted her attention to a deeper level of civic and local engagement and is looking forward to bringing her experience to the panel.

Jason Savela

Jason Savela identifies as a white man and been a criminal defense lawyer in Boulder for 20 years. He stays up to date on newer police tactic trainings and does not feel he sees it deployed regularly enough. He believes that change will take time and effort and wants to be an active part of that change. Jason feels he has a positive relationship with Boulder prosecutors, judges, public defenders, and some officers. He wants to work with the panel and other players to find outcomes that are just and will foster better relationships between officers and community members. Jason’s continued education over the last 10 or so years has primarily been about communication, connection, and empathy. He feels he is better able to work on this type of panel with these skills. Jason has lived and practiced law in the Boulder area for 20 years. Jason has practiced law all over Colorado, with over 3 years as a Public Defender in Colorado Springs and 2 years in Adams County, including handling and trying cases in Hugo, Durango, Georgetown, Ft. Collins, Holyoke, Meeker, Greeley, Denver

To identify new members, the Police Oversight Panel formed a Selection Committee composed of two current panel members as well as representatives from two local non-profit organizations: AMISTAD and the Boulder County NAACP.

The panel invited all community members who have a strong tie to the city of Boulder to consider applying to serve on the Police Oversight Panel.

The application period was open from September 24 – October 14, 2022, and interviews were held between October 31 – November 11, 2022.

The three-year term of service will begin in February 2023. Panel members may serve up to two three-year terms.

Interview videos are featured in the playlist below.